Bar Harbor police chief placed on leave

BAR HARBOR, Maine — The local chief of police has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the town’s legal counsel, according to Town Manager Dana Reed.

Nathan Young has been with the Bar Harbor Police Department for nearly 30 years and has been chief of the department for the past 22 years, according to Reed. He said Young never has been suspended or placed on leave by the town before now.

Reed declined to comment on the nature of the investigation or what may have prompted it. He said it is being conducted by Jon Goodman, a lawyer and former internal investigator for the Portland Police Department, on behalf of Bar Harbor’s legal counsel, law firm Bernstein Shur.

In a prepared statement, Reed indicated that Young was placed on administrative leave Tuesday. He said that while Young is on leave, the Police Department will be run by existing command staff, Lt. James Pinkham, Sgt. Shawn Farrar and Sgt. David Kerns.

Because it is considered a confidential personnel matter, Reed added in the statement, “no further information can or will be released at this time.”

In a voicemail message, Young said Thursday that he has hired an attorney to represent him in the matter.

On the advice of his attorney, he added, “I’m not going to be making any comments at this time.”